What A VT Operator Does On Set: Crew Breakdown

Head to squarespace.com/indepthcine to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using code INDEPTHCINE
In this Crew Breakdown video, let’s take a look at the VT Operator and go over what their role is, what their average day on set looks like, and a couple tips that they use to be the best in their field.
MERCH:
Official IDC Merch: www.indepthcine.shop/
SOCIALS:
Instagram: / indepthcine
Patreon: / indepthcine
IDC Website: www.indepthcine.com/
My Website: www.graykotze.com/
Discord: / discord
GEAR:
KZbin Gear I Use: kit.co/InDepthCine/youtube-gear
Editing Software I Use: bit.ly/2LZ60Lo
Music I Use: bit.ly/3E6o8c4 (CODE 'IDC10' for 10% off)
Stock Footage: bit.ly/3jZHBC0
Cinematography Gear I Use: kit.co/InDepthCine/cinematogr...
MUSIC:
Ottom - 'Quiet Street'
Some Were At Sea - 'Another Year'
Laban - 'Portion'
Ottom - 'Ikigai'
Ottom - 'Yugen'
Ottom - 'Raining In Kyoto'
Ottom - 'It'll Be Alright'
Chill Winston - 'The Truth'
0:00 Introduction
1:01 Role
4:53 Squarespace
6:04 Average Day On Set
9:59 Tips
12:20 Conclusion
DISCLAIMER: Some links in this description are affiliate links. If you purchase a product or service with these links I may receive a small commission without an additional charge to you.
Thank you for supporting my channel so I can continue to provide you with free videos!

[@ItalianAnarkistGamrs]

I'm a VT from Italy, great video as always! I just want to say that while in most countries the VT is a separate department, often working with cable men to do the wiring and moving the monitors, in Italy we're still considered the 3rd member of the camera department, after the 1st and 2nd AC. Also here productions still rent everything from rentals, we usually don't own any of the equipment. Might be cool to compare US/UK standards to other countries!

[@JonJOn0]

Same situation in Belgium and France!

[@mikamediatechnology]

@@JonJOn0 Same in germany

[@papalagui6749]

Same in Portugal

[@ivanbys9319]

Same in Argentina.

[@otriptizolakos591]

Same in Greece

There is a very good interview of a VT operator on (the great) Roger Deakins podcast, "Team Deakins". His name is Richard Shean and he is a very down to Earth guy. Besides talking about his job, he raises some interesting concerns about "video villages" and how a live feed to the studio can be a bad thing, because studio heads are now able to keep watching what everybody is doing on set, and interfere with creative decisions.

[@Pwn4Gamers]

In Germany the Video Operators Duties is a mixed bag, depending on the budget of the production. It can range from a mere camera department trainee who is starting out in the cam deptartment up to Qtake operators who are specifically booked for certain productions. Most of the time however there is a video operator who ranges as the "3rd AC" and is soley responsible for any kind of playback other than the onboard or 1st AC Monitor. I often do that on medium sized productions and since i am not a Qtake Operator i try my best to imitate the possibilites one has with Qtake like taking notes on shots, fast playback from weeks ago through my own little database of the shoot on my tablet or laptop and all around just consistent playback and quality.

[@ohellgaming]

+1. Well said.

[@lefagabonthone2876]

I feel like In Depth Cine should consider making a filmmaking course which would include practical advise that most filmmakers don't include other than the text-book theory. I have learned a lot from you guys just from your KZbin videos, you are the best....

[@johnmcnally7812]

I think a bit about "setiquette" could be super useful for people new to the industry. I know when I first started working on set I wanted to help everyone. Film sets require loads of highly specialised individuals working in their respective departments to get the job done. I didn't come through film school, but I've noticed that a lot of film school grads who are fresh from directing their own final project walk onto set thinking they know everything. Might be worth talking about how to manage their expectations and how they can apply themselves effectively without being a pain in the arse to the people they're working with.

[@johnmcnally7812]

Worth pointing out that on a set with a livegrade DIT, it will often be the DIT Assistant who is responsible for getting the image from the camera to the DIT. The Video Op will then take that image and distribute it as you described above.

[@johnmcnally7812]

FYI I believe the preferred term is "Vidiot" rather than VT.

[@DanMcCaffrey99]

fancy seeing you here John!

[@johnmcnally7812]

@@DanMcCaffrey99 you sexy beast!

[@johnmcnally7812]

@@DanMcCaffrey99 you get to see some of my shitty early attempts at film. I think I've come a long way pretty fast.

[@efe_aydal]

I hope u make more crew breakdowns. They're very important for people like me.

[@benjamingentile1660]

11:30 I’d love to read the copy for that commercial, “Coca-Cola, tastes as good as WWI was bad. Like imagine how bad WWI was, well the good version of that badness, that’s how good Coca-Cola is.”

[@leanderofcourse8631]

In Germany it's mostly called "Video Operator" and I just did that on a feature production two weeks ago :D

[@inzaneartworks3109]

Love learning more about the process. Thanks!

[@Joe_Edits]

Great video as always, so much value!

What an awesome content on a fresh and interesting topic! Thank you for sharing it!

[@ocean8974]

Can you make a video on script supervisor? It could be great! It's such an underrated member of the troupe

[@medardbitangimana4580]

Thanks a lot. Very informative content as usual

[@joaquincarrizo502]

Thanks for this free, valuable and enjoyable content. I´ve learnt a lot from ur channel, and it motivates me to keep trying to become a great cinematographer one day.

[@xavieryt412]

Can't get enough of those videos.

[@ahmadbani1452]

Just wanna say I appreciate your videos :) do more of these role videos please...

[@JanitzioFigueroa]

I loved it. Please make more videos about the crew!! 👍✌🏻

[@jourdanbrasil9890]

This was great bro would love 2 c more stuff like dis

[@jannisnewiadomsky]

thank you. very valuable !

[@allanvanuga9196]

Great video.

[@cobymarcum1442]

Awesome awesome video! 👏👏👏

[@Cinecave]

in canada, either the camera assistants do this job, usually the 2nd ACs, or its a shared job with the Digital Image Technician

[@royalji1617]

Good content

[@riffbaama]

one man army is as great as industry settup... I love small crews but having a full team is also so cool!

[@663]

gold content

[@jithinbabu9579]

Would like to see a dedicated video on QTake too

[@prakharkhatediya5802]

Dude, You make great videos 🙌. Can u pls share from where do u get high resolution film footage that u use for ur videos. That would be of great help

[@DaCarnival]

Good video! Though it did gloss quite quickly over how the production audio reaches the VT (especially if it's not being sent to the camera wirelessly). That all sounds complicated...

[@bagasbaskara3370]

next make assistaint director job desk please

[@rohithkumar2086]

11:52 # why do VT opts need to again record simultaneouly when they are getting live feed from the camera.

[@headownMH]

9:27 necessry

[@costaliberta5969]

VT vs DIT you got me confused there

[@steelbluesleepR]

Hey, a heads up, your store link is broken!

[@nathanksimpson]

Some people I met wanted to buy some of your merch but alas your store link seems broken.

[@extraordinary_ordinary]

Where I'm from this is handled by DIT

[@AlisterMalcolm]

Quite rare in most productions now - camera trainees are responsible for doing it on most budget productions

[@clark4813]

Lmao first

[@ezrarichardson279]

Legit first lol, usually there are several people claiming but you’re actually first this time haha.